News and Announcements

Due to the very bright eruption of Nova Del 2013, we have created a binocular sequence specifically for this nova that can be plotted using the Binocular Chart option on the chart plotter (VSP).

For best results specify a field of view of 900 arc minutes (15 degrees) and a limiting magnitude of 7 and click on the Binocular Chart option. This will produce an uncluttered chart with a sequence from 6.9 - 3.5V for use with binoculars. Or you may simply download the chart attached to this page.

AAVSO Councillor Kevin Paxson has completed and presented the results of the AAVSO's survey of the professional astronomical community. The AAVSO solicited participation from professional astronomers in an online survey early this year, and the results are now available in both raw and summarized form, with commentary and analysis from Kevin. The results were presented at the 2013 Spring Meeting of the AAVSO, and the final reports are now avail

August 1, 2013: Dr. Hans Moritz Guenther (Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics) has requested nightly observations of the classical T Tauri star AA Tau in order to schedule x-ray observations with XMM-Newton that have been planned for between 2013 August 15 and September 15.

July 26, 2013: Patrick Schmeer (SPK, Bischmischeim, Germany) reports via baavss-alert and vsnet-alert that a bright (12.4 U) transient, discovered in M74 (NGC 628) on 2013 July 25.80 UT, has been announced on the CBAT Transient Objects Confirmation Page. The discover's name does not appear there. The presence of the transient has been confirmed by Andrzej Pigulski on 2013 July 27 0:00 UT in vsnet-alert 16057.

Carey Chiselbrook (CCY; Georgia, United States) reports via the AAVSO Forums that the WZ Sge-type variable UZ Bootis is in outburst. It was observed visually at magnitude 12.8 on 2013 Jul 26 02:00 UT (JD 2456499.58194). The outburst was confirmed by Walter MacDonald (MDW; Ontario, Canada) imaged the field and found UZ Boo at V=12.69 03:25 UT (JD 2456499.6394). Observations of UZ Bootis -- both visual estimates and CCD time series -- are encouraged throughout the outburst.

July 24, 2013: AAVSO observer Steve O'Connor (OCN; St. George's, Bermuda) reports a possible brightening episode of the symbiotic variable AS 270. O'Connor reports the star at V=12.75+/- 0.02 on 2013 July 24.535 (JD 2456498.035). The most recent prior observation reported to the AAVSO International Database (M. Linnolt, LMK; Ocean View, Hawaii, United States) had AS 270 at m(vis)=14.1 on 2013 July 13.390 (JD 2456486.890), suggesting a rise of more than one magnitude in less than two weeks.

July 16, 2013: Based on your observations, the HST/COS team will be making the final decision tomorrow afternoon (2013 July 17) or the next morning whether to observe the dwarf nova HS 2214+2845 = V513 Peg on:

This version of VStar includes a new .jnlp file which means that if you used VStar before and have a file called vstar.jnlp on your computer, you should delete it and get the new one by clicking the "Download VStar Now" file from here:

Please click on the names of the nominees to view their extended online biographies. All members will receive Council election ballots in the mail before the end of August. Best of luck to all of our nominees!

July 8, 2013: The VY Scl variable OR And continues in its low state, so it has been scheduled for HST/COS observations. Based on your observations, the HST/COS team will be making the final decision tomorrow morning (2013 July 9) whether to observe OR And on:

Improvements to existing sequences and creation of new sequences for newly discovered and previously known variables continues at a brisk pace. Below is a list of new or revised sequences adopted since April 4, 2013.

If you observe any of these stars, please be sure you are using th most recent version of the comparison star sequence on your charts.

This list is attached below in .csv and .xlsx formats for your convenience.

A science education research paper, 'Changes in participants' scientific attitudes and epistemological beliefs during an astronomical citizen science project', written by Aaron Price and Hee-Sun Lee has been published in the Journal of Research in Science Teaching (JRST).